THE
RL 45 HOMEPAGE WAS CREATED
TO OFFER INFORMATION
ON H-D'S
1932-36 RL 45 MODEL

Harley
attempted in 1929 to break into the "middle weight" class motorcycle
market by offering the DL 45. Sales started off slowly in it's first
year
but was comprimised with many mechanical problems. This was a result of
trying to save money by
designing an engine, with an upright
generator that ran on a bevel gear system, to fit in it's
Single Cylinder model. Many of these problems were worked out by 1930
with improvements to the model but sticking with the upright
generator. Harley realized that they had a viable product with a
growing market and invested money into redesigning the engine to have a
regular horizontal output generator and changing the frame to
accomindate the new engine thus creating the 1932 RL 45. This model was
used in H-D's 2 wheel and 3 wheel (Servi-Car) versions until 1936.